Engineering professors named new fellows of the Canadian Academy of Engineering
Five Waterloo Engineering faculty members have been elected fellows by the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE).
The CAE is the national institution through which Canada's most distinguished and experienced engineers provide strategic advice on matters of critical importance to the country.
The new fellows include David Clausi of systems design engineering, Duane Cronin and Zhongchao Tan of mechanical and mechatronics, Karim Karim of electrical and computer engineering and Maria Anna Polock of civil and environmental engineering.
Clausi, a systems design engineering professor and the associate dean of research and external partnerships for the Faculty, is a renowned
computer vision expert.
A highly accomplished researcher, inventor and scholar, Clausi has designed algorithms to interpret satellite imagery, detect skin cancer, model embryonic development and automate ice hockey analytics.
David Clausi
In his associate dean role, he has strategically grown Waterloo Engineering and helped advance the University’s research profile.
Cronin, a mechanical and mechatronics engineering professor and the Canada Research Chair in Trauma Biomechanics and Injury Prevention, is an internationally recognized expert in trauma biomechanics, human body modeling (HBM), and material characterization.
Cronin established a new Canadian research program to link materials, impact, and trauma biomechanics research, significantly advancing the fields of crash safety and protection of humans in extreme environments.
Duane Cronin
Along with his team of researchers, he has developed leading computational HBMs used globally by industry, government and academics to improve human safety and save lives.
Karim, an electrical and computer engineering professor and the associate vice-president of commercialization and entrepreneurship for the University, is a co-founder and the chief technology officer of KA Imaging.
His innovative X-ray technology research led to the world’s first portable, dual-energy X-ray detector with superior accuracy that enables early disease detection of cardiopulmonary and musculoskeletal disorders.
Karim Karim
His technology has replaced black and white X-rays used by hospitals in seven countries.
Polak, a civil and environmental engineering professor and a University Research Chair, is renowned in the field of structural engineering with pioneering contributions to the design and testing of concrete and reinforced concrete structures.
Her innovations include new technologies for the retrofit of concrete slabs, powerful analysis tools for evaluation and testing of design standards, global structural damage assessment methods and fibre-reinforced polymers.
Maria Anna Polak
Implemented worldwide, Polak’s work has directly contributed to international standards for infrastructure design.
She sits on numerous international standards committees, is a fellow of the American Concrete Institute and the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering and is a recipient of the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Fellowships.
Tan, a mechanical and mechatronics engineering professor and the director of the University's Research Lab for Green Energy and Pollution Control, is an international authority on filtration and separation technologies.
His research work has significantly strengthened Canada’s global leadership in sustainability, including a major patent licensed
by Enersul Inc.
A visionary leader, he has created a positive and inclusive environment for knowledge sharing and training of the next generation of young engineers with a global vision.
Zhongchao Tan
He is a fellow of the Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineering and has received scholarship-based awards. His innovative teaching methods and textbooks have also been recognized with multiple teaching honours.
Across campus, new CAE fellows also include Jonathan Li, a geography and environmental management professor with the Faculty of Environment, and Ming Li, a professor with the Cheriton School of Computer Science and the Canada Research Chair in Bioinformatics, Cheriton School of Computer Science.
The announcement of 54 new CAE fellows elected from across the country and internationally this year was made by its president Yves Beauchamp at the academy’s 2022 annual general meeting held remotely on June 13.
An in-person induction ceremony honouring the 2020, 2021 and 2022 elected fellows will take place June 27 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Banner photo is of Duane Cronin, a Waterloo mechanical and mechatronics engineering professor
